Independent Retailer Month: Q&A with owners of Martin Rees Jewellers in Wrexham

Name: Ruth Rees

Business: Martin Rees Jewellers

Location: 61 Chester Street, Wrexham

Telephone /website: 01978 266887 / www.reesjeweller.uk

Opening hours: 9.30am-5pm, Monday to Saturday

When did you open and why?

It’s been our hometown since we were first married back in 1976.

We both worked in retail when we were first married, and it became obvious that we would never get the same holidays and weekends unless we actually started our own business together.

We initially had our own market stall just trading on antique markets and things like that, we progressed to sharing a shop with somebody else, then we took over that shop fully before relocating here in 1985.

My husband had worked in a jeweller’s shop before and had learnt the trade. We both love jewellery and have always found it fascinating, which is something that has never waned.

Why did you open in this location?

It’s a very historic part of town. I like to think of it as the heart of the independent quarter of the town centre.

We don’t have quite as many shops open on Chester Street as we used to, but it is still very much a focus for indy trade and so we feel very much at home here.

Tell us about your business...

We specialise mainly in second-hand jewellery, vintage or pre-owned gold and silver, but we also sell some new silver jewellery as well.

In terms of second-hand jewellery, we are one of the biggest shops in this whole area, and with our website we now sell to people across the country.

People have actually come to Wrexham to visit our shop.

What’s your most memorable/proudest moment in business?

The very best day was four years ago this month when we had our 30-year anniversary celebration, and the staff and ourselves all dressed up ion 80’s clothes, we had 80’s bunting, and we got some stuff in that the shop used to sell many years ago.

There was a little LCD watch which you could take off and it transformed into a robot, they sold for 99p each and we used to have hundreds of them. It was a great day; it was like a retirement party except we didn’t have to retire.

I do love communicating with people every day though, whether it be the brilliant staff, who are like family, or the people of Wrexham who are very loyal, and do love a bit of bling.

Have you had any strange requests?

Strange requests not so much, but the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen made from gold was at a pawn brokers auction where I saw a solid gold babies dummy.